Portman talks unemployment benefits

By Andrea Drusch

02/09/14 11:36 AM EST

Sen. Rob Portman on Sunday defended his opposition to extending unemployment benefits, saying he had a plan to reform the program.

In an interview on NBC's “Meet the Press.” host David Gregory asked how the Republican senator from Ohio accounted for allowing 50,000 Ohio residents’ unemployment end in December. “You brought up the American worker Senator Portman, but you voted [last] week against extending unemployment benefits for those out of work,” he said. “It's striking.”

Portman responded by criticizing Democrats for doing nothing to reform the program.

“First of all, as you know, I am one of six Republicans who voted to allow the debate to go forward,” Portman said. “Unfortunately. the Democrats wouldn't negotiate with us on how to pay for it.”

Portman said he wanted to pay for the extension, and also explore his own proposal for reforming the program.

“The last thing we want to do is add to the debt and deficit and make the economy worse,” he said. Let's reform this program; I have a specific proposal to do that, as do a group of Republicans, enough to get it across the floor.”